It is well known that enclosures can be used to store many types of items, such as foodstuffs, medicine, or even electronic appliances. However, such enclosures can be subject to tampering when the lid is removed and the contents accessed.
As an example, this can occur in a workplace setting, where numerous co-workers share a communal fridge, where food in such a fridge can be easily accessed by any co-worker on site and removed or taken from such enclosures (i.e. food containers).
As another example, pocket pagers are placed in enclosures that are waterproof and/or shock-resistant. However, due to security requirements, it is desirable to make such enclosures tamper-proof
U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,406 discloses a container comprising a receptacle and a lid combination which are formed of thermoformed plastic such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PS (polystyrene), or PET (polyethylene). The receptacle and the lid have sections thereof which nest intimately together to form a seal. The receptacle includes a frangible portion which breaks when the lid is removed.
A further example is U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2012/0061412 which discloses a tamper-evident container which provides a visual indication to the container's owner if the container has been opened, and then re-closed.
However, such a containers as those described above do not prevent access to the container, and the items therein; they merely indicate to the owner of the container that the container itself has been tampered with or accessed. In essence, the container, and the items therein, do not prevent access from third parties to the containers contents, as these containers are not tamper-proof.
A number of attempts have been made to provide enclosures for pocket pagers that are water- and/or shock-resistant.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,031,524 issued Feb. 29, 2002 to Kunert discloses a complicated user-replaceable component assembly, which permits replacement of components and devices such as portable electronic devices. An environmental seal is provided around the components to protect the inner circuitry of the electronic device. Shock-resistant mounting of the display panel beneath the keypad and accommodation for the electric connection between the keypad and the portable electronic device's inner circuitry is provided. However, Kunert requires the provision of a keypad on the enclosure, which is electrically connected to and substitutes for the keypad of the portable electronic device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,646,864 issued Nov. 11, 2003 to Richardson discloses a protective case for an electronic device that has a touch screen. The touch screen is protected with a membrane adapted to the specific contour and profile of the electronic device and allows the user to use a touch screen interface with no shortcomings. The protective case is further adapted to allow infra-red and other communication signals while the device is secured inside the case. Further, electrical connections can be made through the case without affecting the protection afforded the electronic device inside. The enclosure is in the form of a hinged clamshell device with external ribs that prevent torsional stresses thereon and internal foam inserts for shock-relief. Keypad and touch screen input may be through a sheet of thin plastic disposed within an opening in the enclosure and sealed in water-resistant fashion by the interposition of an O-ring between it and the enclosure opening. Thus, in assembling the enclosure, a number of components must be maintained in position simultaneously, which may be problematic, especially in a high-traffic environment such as at a facility.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,659,274 issued Dec. 9, 2003 to Enners discloses a container for a PDA comprising a three dimensional enclosure open at one end and through which the PDA can be inserted. A clear rubber screen is positioned over the touch screen of the PDA, to provide touch point access thereto. The opening in the enclosure can be capped by a cover having an O-ring across an internal projection, which matingly engages with the open end of the cover to provide a water-resistant seal. The rubber screen is integral with or permanently affixed to the enclosure, which provides significant difficulties in construction and precludes the replacement of the screen in the event of a tear or rupture. As well, the use of clear rubber would appear to significantly increase the cost of construction. Furthermore, the material may not be highly conducive to accurate data entry therethrough, or to visibility of the visual outputs of the pager.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,119 issued May 30, 2000 to Derr et al discloses a waterproof protective device for holding an apparatus having an interaction field formed from a dimensionally stable protective housing having lower and upper housing parts. The two parts are releasably hingedly connected together and an inside contour of the protective housing is adapted and constructed to closely receive the apparatus with approximately no play. The protective housing is provided with a transparent elastically flexible operating area of reduced wall thickness to enable an interaction field to be viewed and manipulated while encased within the enclosure. A seal is provided between the two parts in the form of a mating circumferential groove and rim, one or both of which may be provided with lips. Derr et al's apparatus renders it awkward to insert the pager into and remove the pager from the enclosure. A separate pusher must be used to urge the pager out of the enclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,256 issued Jun. 6, 1989 to Meliconi discloses a shock-proof protective sheath for television remote controls, which comprises a hollow container and holder element, embodied in shock proof material that substantially matches and hugs the external profile of the appliance it encompasses. It is provided with at least two openings, one of which affords access to the remote control's push buttons and the other of which allows passage of the controlled pulses. The window on the front of the sheath, corresponding to the push buttons of the remote control is covered by a thin plastic material, welded or affixed by adhesive strip to the edges of the opening in the sheath, which allows buttons to be pressed while maintaining water tightness. Again, the permanent attachment of the window within the sheath increases the difficulty and cost of construction and precludes easy replacement of the screen in the event of a tear or a rupture.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,852 issued Feb. 20, 1990 to King discloses a protective cover for pagers comprising a film of transparent stretchable material (e.g. 595HC silicon plastic) formed to cover the top, four sides and at least a portion of the bottom of a pager. The cover includes accordion-type pleats, which are positioned to reside adjacent switches, a belt clip and the like, to allow operation thereof. While some modicum of water tightness may be provided, subject to the size and positioning of openings in the enclosure, King's enclosure provides no means of shock-resistance.
U.S. Design Pat. No. D455,730 issued Apr. 16, 2002 to Hakim-Nelson discloses a case of a certain dimension adapted to fit the pager, constructed of an entirely transparent material. Protrusions are provided to accommodate push buttons. Access to the enclosure is through a removable door. Again, there appears to be only minimal shock-resistance to Hakim-Nelson's enclosure.
PCT International Application No. PCT/FI03/00434 published Dec. 11, 2003 in the name of Bordi discloses a case where an electronic device includes a watertight and at least partly transparent case body substantially corresponding to the shape of the electronic device, the case being open at one end, as well as the lid watertightly closing the open end of the case body. It also includes an annular intermediate part on which both the case body and the lid are supported and to which they can be latched. The case body includes an annular supporting surface and the lid includes an annular pressure contact area, so that when closing the lid, the sealing flange is pressed in between the supporting surface and the pressure contact area thereby closing the space defined by the lid and the case body.
Finally, CA 2,517,541 issued Feb. 28, 2007 to Lefebvre et al. discloses a shock and water resistant wireless pager enclosure comprises a bottom having thickened walls, a top lip and interior foam strips. The top edges of the strips are coplanar with the top. A transparent film is supported thereon and on the lip and secured by a cover removably hinged to the bottom by a protrusion at one end, through which a hinge pin passes. The protrusion and pin are accepted in a trough in the bottom. The bottom is rounded about the trough to facilitate the hinged motion. The pin prevents the cover from sliding laterally from the bottom. The bottom secures the pager, the cover is fixed thereto by screws, pinching the film between them. A cover loop proximate the protrusion facilitates opening of the cover and provides a mechanism for attaching a clip. The cover may be multi-coloured for easy identification. The bottom contains a ribbon strip to facilitate pager removal and/or an RFID device to locate the enclosure and thus the pager and/or the user.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an enclosure for a pocket pager or similar device that is water-resistant, of simple construction, and overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art devices noted above, including complexity construction with numerous parts. It is further desirable to provide an enclosure for a pocket pager that is shock-resistant, and also tamper-proof during normal use.
It would therefore be advantageous to have a tamper-proof sealable enclosure system, which can be used for various purposes, with a lockable lid openable through use of a locking tool. It would be still further advantageous to have a tamper-proof sealable enclosure system with a lockable lid openable, and re-lockable, through use of a locking tool. In this regard, the present enclosure system substantially fulfills this need.